


Family Man

by jennandanica



Category: Real Person Fiction, Troy RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-16
Updated: 2009-11-16
Packaged: 2017-10-03 03:03:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennandanica/pseuds/jennandanica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marriage comes first.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Man

**Author's Note:**

> A small return to solo writing. Original draft written a couple of months ago. Not beta'd. Mostly posting to get off my desk. Inspired by the photos of Eric and Orlando checking out bikes together down under.

"Do you think she knows?" Orlando asks idly, rubbing his fingers over a crease in the pillow beside him, his body spent, muscles still warm, sated with pleasure. They'd spent all morning shopping for bikes then come back to his hotel, already half-hard from the rumble of the machines and aching for each other.

Eric doesn't have to ask who _she_ is or what she might be supposed to know. "Yeah, I think she probably does," he answers softly after a moment's thought, the certainty not a happy one. But it's been years now. Years in which he's always managed to make room for Orlando, find a way to see him, even when they're not working together.

"But she hasn't said anything?"

Eric looks over his shoulder at Orlando, finishes buttoning up his shirt, fastens his jeans. "Why would she?"

"Because you're fucking around on her," Orlando says bluntly, the knowledge that their time together's coming to an end making him peevish.

Sighing, Eric stretches out beside Orlando, brushing the stray curls from his face. "I'm not fucking around on her. I'm fucking one person," he corrects. "You. And she knows I'm not going to leave her."

"But don't you ever feel guilty?"

"Yeah. Sometimes. Don't you?" It's not the first time they've had this conversation and Eric suspects it won't be the last.

"I'm not married," Orlando points out.

"Close enough. You're seeing that model."

"But I'm not marrying her," Orlando insists.

Eric sighs. "Fine. You're not marrying her, but does she know about us? Does she know you like to fuck men?"

It's Orlando's turn to sigh. "No. But it's different."

"Not really," Eric says. "Because some day you will marry her - or someone like her - and if we're still seeing each other, you'll be fucking around as well. On your wife and your family." And that's not a happy thought either but he's made peace with himself about his end of things and Orlando will have to do the same.

Orlando pulls back a little. "And what if I decide I want to come out?"

Another deep breath, let out slowly and Eric says, "Then you come out."

"I meant, what about us if I decide I want to come out?"

"We can keep seeing each other," Eric says. He's considered the possibility before. Orlando so much younger than him. The political climate changing. "I don't think it'll make a difference."

"But we could be together."

Eric shakes his head. "No, we couldn't. I'm married."

"To a woman you're fucking around on. With me." God. Orlando hates the whining note in his voice.

"To a woman I love and who's the mother of my children," Eric corrects again, wishing they could just keep things simple, keep them the way they've been.

"And who you wouldn't leave no matter what," Orlando says, tears stinging his eyes, wanting to hit Eric - just for a moment - for being so stolid, so fucking unemotional about everything.

Christ. Eric cups Orlando's face in his hand. "No, I'm sorry. I wouldn't. We both know what Hollywood does to leading men who admit they like to fuck other men. Maybe some people can get away with it, but I don't think either of us could _and_ I love my wife. I love my family. I don't wish things were any different than they are."

And that, right there, is the crux of it all. "But what if I do?" Orlando whispers, tears sliding down his cheeks now.

Eric just shakes his head. "I'm sorry."

"Even if it means you lose me?"

And again, even though Eric's heart is breaking. "I'm sorry."

Orlando sits up. "Get the fuck out," he hisses, wrapping his arms around himself and rocking back and forth.

"Orlando."

"No, don't talk to me. Don't try and fucking calm me down. You can't have everything," Orlando snarls through the tears, wanting to lash out, wanting to hurt Eric as much as his lover is hurting him. "And the least you could fucking do is _pretend_ you would leave her. Pretend you love me at least that fucking much. You're living a fucking lie and you won't even admit it."

"And if I said it? If I pretended I would leave her, then what? You'd be the one living the lie," Eric says.

"I don't care. Get the fuck out," Orlando yells, pointing at the door. "Just leave me alone."

"Orlando..."

"I said get out," Orlando yells, leaping to his feet and shoving Eric in that direction.

Eric stumbles then stands there, watching Orlando, wishing he could say something to make things better, to make things different, but he can't. He's too old, he's too settled, he's too much of a family man despite his love for Orlando. And there's nothing that could come off his tongue that wouldn't be a lie right now, except

"I'm sorry."

And it's not enough. It won't make things better. In fact, it'll only make them worse. But it's all he's got.

"No, you're not," Orlando whispers, shaking his head. "Get out."

And there's nothing left. Nothing left but leaving.

He closes the door softly behind him.


End file.
